International Football History and Statistics

On this day in football history

1938 The 1938 World Cup Finals in Italy begin with the match between Switzerland and Germany. The match ended 1-1

1939 It was agreed at the Annual General Meeting of the Football League that players in League matches should wear numbers. It was decided that each club should be numbered 1-11 with the goalkeeper wearing 1 and the numbers moving forward through the team to 11 for the outside left. Players were numbered in the 1933 Cup Final when Everton wore 1-11 and Manchester City wore 12-22. Numbers were first worn in the League in the 1939-40 season which was actually abandoned after three rounds of matches due to the outbreak of the Second War.

1946 The four Home Football Associations re-joined F.I.FA They had resigned in 1928 following arguments over broken time payments. Because of this they had been unable to compete in the first three World Cup competitions.

1961 Ken Leek, Leicester City's Welsh international inside-forward, transferred to Newcastle United having been dropped for the Cup Final the previous May and demanding a move. A much-travelled player he played in every division of the Football League except the old Third Division North.

1968 Alan Mullery became the first England player to be sent off in a full international. He was dismissed in a European Nations Cup Semi final against Yugolslavia. England went on to lose the match 1-0.